Principles of Fire Prevention
The principles on which many of the codes are based are summarised as follows:-
• management of fire safety
• avoidance of outbreaks of fire through containment and reduction of fire dangers
• early detection of fire and early warning to staff and guests to facilitate and adequate response (generally through the provision of a automatic Fire/Smoke Detection and Alarm System)
• compartmentalisation of buildings and provision of escape routes, which are protected from fire and smoke
• limitation of the development and spread of fire
(generally through the use of appropriate materials used in the construction of the linings [both internal and external] and structure of the building)
• containment of fire and smoke to the room where the fire originates (generally through the provision of self-closing fire doors and appropriate fire-stopping of the room)
• early suppression of fire, where required (generally through automatic sprinkler systems)
• effective evacuation procedures (which are supported by carrying out fire drills to reinforce the usage and improvement of those evacuation procedures)
• access and facilities for the fire service
Government fire safety publications are available through the Government Publications Office, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. Some are also available in pdf format on the Publications Section of the Department of the Environment website www.environ.ie.
The following links below provide direct access to information which is more specific to the nature of the particular building type or usage involved.
- Dwellings (fire safety in the home, including flats, apartments, maisonettes and dwelling houses)
- Places of Assembly (including Public Houses, Hotels, Restaurants, Night Clubs, Meeting Halls, Schools etc.)
- Offices, Shops and Shopping Centres, Industrial and Storage Buildings
Fire Department members who inspect buildings for violations of the Fire Services Act and who work to educate members of the public on Fire Safety topics are known as Fire Prevention Officers.
The fire service carry out inspections routinely on buildings that are open to the public to identify any fire safety risks that may be present, to issue either a recommendation or a warning in regard to those items and to potentially prosecute or close buildings that are not in compliance with the requirements of the Fire Services Act.
